How to Clean Hockey Equipment- Part 1

Have you ever wondered where that horrific smell was coming from while you're standing outside the ice hockey locker rooms? Well that is the bacteria and fungus growing on your hockey equipment from you  sweating while your practicing and playing a game. The locker room provides the perfect breeding place for them to grow because of the moisture and cool temperature. There is a potentially dangerous bacteria that is found in these types of places called staphylococcus aureus or MRSA (an antibiotic resistant strain of staph). These nasty bacteria can enter your body through a blister or a cut in you skin and can invade your body causing an infection or even death if not treated properly. Cleaning your hockey equipment regularly reduces the growth of bacteria and the smell that is associated with them. It will also help protect you from getting a nasty infection.

I'm going to give you three different way to clean your hockey equipment in three separate posts. Just as a reminder these are only a few of the ways in which to clean your hockey equipment. If you have a favorite or better way to clean your equipment please leave a comment on this site so that we can all try it.

The first cleaning method  is to:

• Fill your tub with hot water and pour in a cleaner like 1 Tbs of bleach for every quart of water, or 1/4 cup of a low pH detergent, or a cleaner that is recommended by the equipment manufacturer. You can also use a combination of detergent and  bleach.
• Place your pads, gloves, neck guard, and helmet in the tub making sure that they are fully submerged. Rotate the equipment periodically to make sure that every piece of equipment gets clean. Keep the equipment in the  water for about 30 to 45 minutes, agitating it from time to time to get a thorough cleaning.
• Drain the tub and rinse each piece of equipment in warm water thoroughly to remove the residue.
• Then hang the equipment up to dry except for the helmet. The out side of the helmet should bet dried off with a dry cloth especially around the snaps, then hung up to dry.
• The mouth guard should be soaked in an antiseptic type mouth was for about 30 seconds to about a minute to remove built up germs and bacteria then brushed  with toothbrush.  Rinse under warm water to remove residue and then air dry.
• The hockey bag should be wiped inside and out with antibacterial wipes and then hung to dry.
• Hockey skates can be sprayed with a deodorizing and disinfecting shoe spray then let air dry.
• Wash your jersey, socks, and under armour in the wash machine and dry them in the dryer  according to the clothing label.

Remember to always let your equipment air dry after practice and games to help stop the growth of bacteria and reduce the smell. Do not leave your equipment in your bag for an extended amount of time because this is a great breeding ground for harmful bacteria to grow.